We departed Maui at 0930 heading for Cape Halawa on the northeast tip of the Island of Molokai. From Cape Halawa it is a ten-mile flight to Kalaupapa (kah lau papa), our first destination for the day.  These are, however, probably the most spectacular ten miles of flying you can find.  The north shore of Molokai consists of 2000-foot sea cliffs (you may have seen them in the movie Jurassic Park) interspersed with deep green valleys and too many waterfalls to count.  A morning flight along this coast at 1000 to 1500 feet is truly a trip to remember.

Kalaupapa is a place of beauty and sadness.  From the 1860’s to the 1950’s over 7,000 patients (mostly Hawaiians who were particularly susceptible to the disease) were brought here to die. Most are buried in the numerous graveyards.  In the early days they were simply tossed off the transport ships and left to swim ashore and fend for themselves.  A Belgium priest, Father Damien, and other Catholic priests and nuns brought better care and treatment of the patients starting in the 1880’s.

The Territory of Hawaii stopped sending patients to Kalaupapa in the 1950’s when newly developed drugs brought the disease under control.  The settlement today consist of about 40 former patients who have elected to live out their lives there and about an equal number of staff.  When the former patients are gone, the settlement will become a national monument, a transition that is already in progress.

Our school bus ride across the peninsula gave us a chance to visit the site of the original hospital that was torn down decades ago and the church that was built by Father Damien, the last remaining building of the original settlement.  We also got some spectacular views down the north shore sea cliffs and islands.  The highlight of the trip, however, was listening to Richard Marks talk about the history and life of the settlement.